Olympics

Russia: Intelligence help prevented Sochi attacks

MOSCOW (AP) Russia’s security service chief says intelligence agencies in Russia and other countries helped to prevent terrorist attacks on the Winter Games in Sochi.

FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov said in comments carried by Russian news agencies on Wednesday that intelligence agencies from the United States, Austria, France, Germany and Georgia had helped Russia to target individuals who were plotting terrorist attacks on the 2014 Winter Games.

The revelation is particularly striking because Russia has not had diplomatic ties with Georgia since a brief 2008.

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The Black Sea resort of Sochi hosted the Winter Games in Feb. 7-23, which ran without any security incidents despite fears of an Islamist insurgency in the Caucasus.

Bortnikov provided few details but said cooperation with the foreign intelligence agencies ”localized that threat.”